


Happy Birthday, Hatter

by allstoriesintheend



Series: In The Golden Afternoon [10]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (TV)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Halice - Freeform, Hattice, Mad Curiosity, Wonderland, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 18:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9670964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allstoriesintheend/pseuds/allstoriesintheend
Summary: "I think he's going to like his tea party. The Rabbits are coming, the Tweedles, and Mally and Thackery are on their way... Even Chessur, you know. They're coming too. For his birthday."A smile formed on Alice's lips at the thought. All of their friends had said yes right away, of course, when Alice had told them she was throwing a party for the Hatter.Today was his birthday.All that was needed was to wrap the gift upon the table, and for her Hatter to arrive home.





	

A quiet, frustrated huff slipped past pale lips. The sound of paper being folded and crinkled filled the empty cottage yet again, only to be torn away seconds later in an apparent flit of temper. The blonde who had been trying to wrap the gift pushed it across the table, settling back in her plush chair to rest her hands on the slight swell to her abdomen.  
  
"Your Papa makes that look so terribly easy."  
  
Alice rocked slowly, allowing her hands to make small circles as she spoke. Her blue eyes glared at the gift she had been trying to wrap, as if glaring at it would make the troublesome thing wrap itself and save her the problem.  
  
"I think he's going to like his tea party. The Rabbits are coming, the Tweedles, and Mally and Thackery are on their way... Even Chessur, you know. They're coming too. For his _birthday_."  
  
A smile formed on Alice's lips at the thought. All of their friends had said yes right away, of course, when Alice had told them she was throwing a party for the Hatter. Today was his birthday - not his Unbirthday, Alice had gently tried to remind the Tweedles countless times - and she had made sure everything was perfect.  
  
All that was needed was to wrap the gift upon the table, and for her Hatter to arrive home.  
  
Alice stretched her arms across the table, pulling the troublesome gift and the brown, thick paper back toward her. Gift-wrapping was not her strength, as much as it was Hatter's. Year upon year she would receive such elegantly wrapped gifts, tied with ribbon, lace - anything he had - and year after year, Alice had given him gifts that might as well have not been wrapped, due to the terrible way the paper had been forced around the gifts.  
  
But, like every other year, she didn't let it get the best of her. Alice wrapped and folded until the gift was covered. She finished it off with a ribbon, fixing a bow in place. Satisfied that it was at least wrapped, Alice made to stand, at the same moment that the cottage door opened and her Hatter's voice rang out.  
  
"What is it that no woman or man ever yet did see, which never was, but always is to be?"  
  
"Tomorrow, Hatter."  
  
Alice moved in front of the table to hide the gift as Hatter came into the kitchen, smiling such a brilliant smile at her that Alice couldn't help but smile back. The scarf around his neck was unwound, letting him remove it from his person entirely and throw it around Alice, using it to pull himself closer to her as it settled on her waist.  
  
"Right you are, love."  
  
"What do I win?"  
  
In response, she was met with a kiss. Her arms went up, holding the collar of his shirt, while Hatter's own grip tightened on his scarf to pull the two of them closer together. Alice only pulled away when Hatter had began to hum against her lips, making her giggle. He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose, gazing at her in amusement. Her hands eased on his shirt collar, shaking her head softly.  
  
"Silly thing."  
  
"It's my birthday. I can be as silly as I'd like."  
  
Hatter released the scarf from one hand, letting it drop from around the back of Alice so that he could kneel and kiss the swell of Alice's abdomen, making Alice laugh all over again.  
  
"Oh, go and change, Hatter. Baby's fine."  
  
"Can't leave Baby out."  
  
Still, he stood and tipped the brim of his hat to her, winking as he did so. She gently pushed his shoulder, trying to shoo him off to their bedroom.  
  
"They'll be here soon. You know that Rabbit is never late!"  
  
Hatter took a few steps toward their room, shrugging off his coat while he went. He grinned all the while, amusement written across his features.  
  
"He would be if you'd have let me make his watch as two days slow, Alice."  
  
"Change!"  
  


* * *

  
  
Tea had been drank, songs had been sang, candles had been blown out, wishes had been made, cake had been eaten, and scones had been thrown about the table long before the night had fallen. Hatter had opened his presents, all save the one from Alice before their guests had left. The Rabbits had been the last, and both Alice and Hatter had seen them to the gate of the Garden before Hatter's arm had wrapped around Alice's shoulder and pulled her close.  
  
"Come along, Alice. Time for bed."  
  
"But you didn't..."  
  
A yawn broke off any further words Alice might have had, making Hatter chuckle. They slowly walked back to the head of the table where his chair was, with him settling into it first and Alice then climbing onto his lap to settle against him. He reached to the table, retrieving the scarf he had been wearing hours ago, and loosely put it around Alice's neck just before she pressed her face against the crook of his neck.  
  
They stayed silent, Alice snuggling against her Hatter and him gently tracing patterns onto her arm that had stretched up to his shoulder, until Alice's murmur made her lips tickle against his neck.  
  
"You haven't opened your gift."  
  
"I was saving it for last."  
  
"I tried so hard..."  
  
"I know."  
  
Hatter reached forward again, this time collecting the gift from Alice. He shook his head as he tugged at the ribbon, watching the paper fall away from the gift as soon as the ribbon was gone. A smile graced his lips, taking the object from inside the wrapping.  
  
"I thought it would look nice."  
  
Oh, and it would. The wind-chime had so many different coloured glasses to its pattern that he didn't know where to begin looking. Already, he had picked the perfect place to hang it, where it would get the proper attention instead of being drowned out by the lanterns above the tea party.  
  
"It's perfect, Alice."  
  
He placed the wind-chime back onto the table, moving Alice slightly as he did so. She tilted her head to look up to him, giving him a sleepy smile. His lips pressed against her forehead, leaving a kiss in their wake.  
  
"Happy birthday, Hatter."  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Write a story including a set of three things.
> 
> 3) A scarf, a present wrapped very poorly, a kiss.


End file.
